Cristian Pațurcă

Cristian Pațurcă (10 September 1964 – 18 January 2011) was a Romanian songwriter, singer and composer renowned for his significant role in the Golaniad, a series of anti-communist protests that took place in 1990, in Bucharest. He is best remembered for singing "Imnul Golanilor" (The Hoodlums' Hymn) which became an anthem for the demonstrations.

Early life and early musical career Born in Bucharest, Romania, Pațurcă attended the "Tudor Vladimirescu" High School. In 1981, during his high school years, Pațurcă co-founded the band "Telefon" alongside George and Gabi Voiculescu. The group performed at various cultural venues across Bucharest, including local cultural centers and high school auditoriums. In the autumn of 1982, "Telefon" expanded its lineup to include Gabriel Andrieș as the lead vocalist and Mihai Negulescu on bass guitar, with Pațurcă continuing as the lead guitarist. This ensemble achieved notable success, securing first place at the National Festival "Cântarea României" and performing at several prominent clubs in Bucharest, such as "Tehnic Club," "Modern Club," and the "Mihai Eminescu" Cultural Center. It was during these demonstrations that Pațurcă sang "Imnul Golanilor," a song that resonated deeply with the protesters and became emblematic of their struggle.

Beyond "Imnul Golanilor," Pațurcă wrote and performed several other songs that captured the spirit of the protests, including "Jos comunismul" (Down with Communism), "Cântecul baricadei" (Song of the Barricade), "Libertate, te iubim!" (Liberty, we love you!), "Vivat Golania" (Long Live the Hoodlums), "Scrisoare din Piața Universității" (Letter from the University Square), "Nu plecăm acasă!" (We aren't going home!) and "Golan post-mortem" (Hoodlum Post-Mortem). In 2010, the then-president of Romania, Traian Băsescu, awarded Pațurcă the National Order of Faithful Service in April 2010, 20 years after the Golaniad.

Later years and death In 2009, Pațurcă was twice evicted from his childhood home, the second time while he was in a hospital in Vălenii de Munte.

Throughout his later years, Pațurcă battled health issues, including tuberculosis and liver problems, which ultimately led to his untimely death on January 18, 2011, at the age of 46. He was laid to rest in Bucharest's Bellu Cemetery, on the Artists' Alley, alongside other notable Romanian cultural figures such as Tatiana Stepa, Florian Pittiș, and Adrian Pintea. A year after his death, a monument in his honor was placed near University Square, in front of the National Theatre Bucharest.

The president during the Golaniad, and the one who called on miners to attack the protesters during the June 1990 Mineriad, Ion Iliescu declared: "It is, generallly, regrettable that a young man like him succumbed at a... how should I say, still young age. He is a talented man too. I did not have any grudge from this point of view towards people like Pațurcă. It was the simple expression of some positions and that is what I wanted after the December Revolution. I wanted a democracy; that also means diverse opinions".